Alex Da Corte, As Long as the Sun Lasts: The Roof Garden Commission

An engaging exploration of multidisciplinary artist Alex Da Corte’s site-specific 2021 installation on The Met’s Roof Garden

Known for his use of familiar objects, icons, and brands in surprising and surreal contexts, Alex Da Corte (b. 1980) often confronts themes of identity, cultural hegemony, and consumerism in his videos, sculptures, paintings, and installations. In As Long as the Sun Lasts-his most recent work and the subject of the 2021 installment in The Met’s Roof Garden Commission series-he draws together the beloved Sesame Street character Big Bird and the kinetic sculptural works of Alexander Calder. This compact volume presents images and analysis of the new installation, considering it in the context of his past work and featuring fascinating records of the artist’s process, including sketches and images from his studio. An interview with Da Corte provides further insight into his diverse artistic inspirations, which range from Renaissance painting to horror films, and elaborates on how art history, politics, and religion inform his work.